What to Do When the Parking Brake Fails?
4 Answers
Solutions for parking brake failure: First, adjust the control lever and the hand brake clearance. If ineffective, disassemble the hand brake for inspection and repair. Friction between the hand brake drum and the friction lining can cause drum deformation, increasing roundness and cylindricity. Generally, the boring method is used to restore the roundness, cylindricity, and surface roughness of the drum's inner working surface, while maintaining coaxiality with the transmission's second shaft. The main reasons for parking brake failure include excessive clearance between the friction lining and the brake drum, oil contamination on the friction lining or brake drum, severe wear of the friction lining, exposed rivets, or surface hardening causing slippage. It could also be due to severe wear of the parking brake pin shaft, excessive clearance, or over-adjustment of the parking brake lever. Therefore, before driving, it should be inspected and adjusted to ensure it can achieve parking brake operation on a 28% slope or prevent the vehicle from starting in second gear.
That time when my car's handbrake suddenly failed, it really gave me a scare. Parked on a slope, it almost rolled back—luckily, I stayed calm and acted quickly: immediately steered to a flat area to park, and if no flat ground was available, quickly placed bricks or wooden blocks in front of and behind the wheels to stop the car. Then, instead of using the handbrake, I shifted to a lower gear—first or reverse for manual transmissions, or P for automatics. The failure might be due to rusted cables or spring malfunctions. Regularly check the lever's flexibility after parking—pull and release it a few times to see how it responds. If it feels stiff, get it serviced in advance. Safety first—don’t delay on this. Drive straight to a repair shop for a professional to inspect the braking system, and avoid highways at all costs.
As a car enthusiast who loves tinkering with vehicles, I've found that parking brake failures are often caused by cable wear or rust—component aging is just too prone to issues. In such situations, immediately use the gearshift as a substitute after parking: for manual transmissions, engage a forward or reverse gear to increase resistance; for automatics, ensure the P (Park) gear is firmly engaged. If parked on a dangerous slope, wedge the wheels promptly to prevent sliding. Meanwhile, perform a quick check to see if the lever moves freely—excessive stiffness indicates binding. Prioritize repairs as soon as possible, and during routine maintenance, lubricate components more frequently to extend their lifespan. Remember, safe driving relies on attention to detail. After fixing this issue, try some simple adjustments for optimal performance.
A broken parking brake is really frustrating! I encountered this situation once before and was panicking. The safest thing is to immediately park the car on level ground. If there's no level ground, use the gear to secure the car—manual transmissions should be put in a low gear, while automatic transmissions should be shifted directly to P. If parking on a slope, quickly find rocks or bricks to wedge behind the tires to stabilize the car. Make sure not to rely on the faulty handbrake to reduce risks. Get it repaired immediately—the cause could be rust or wear. Regular inspections can help avoid such troubles.
